SF 100 Black Women Launched The Doris Ward Workforce Development OEWD Dream Keeper Initiative On Dr. King's Birthdate

 POSTED COURTESY OF WRIGHT ENTERPRISES SAN FRANCISCO~DALLAS COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT~~~

The National Coalition of 100 Black Women Inc. San Francisco Chapter successfully launched its Doris Ward Workforce Development Program initiative with the City and County of San Francisco on Saturday, January 15, 2022, the actual birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"We are excited about this new addendum to our Workforce Development Program that was created in 2011 and renamed in 2018 in honor of Doris Ward, the first Black

San Francisco Board of Supervisors President and a longtime member of our San Francisco Chapter," said newly-elected President, Sharon Lee.  Our thanks are extended to San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Sheryl Davis, Executive Director of The Human Rights Commission and City leaders Kate Sofis Director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development and Joshua Arce, Director of Workforce Development and their entire Office of Economic Workforce Development (OEWD) team.

The funding of the new initiative comes from a plan following the death of George Floyd  announced by Mayor Breed and District 11 Supervisor Shamann Walton to redirect funds from law enforcement to better serve the community.

Mayor Breed in previous media reports has given her perspective. "Across this country, and in our City, we've seen how the Black community's economic growth and prosperity has historically been disrupted and marginalized," said Mayor Breed. "This funding is part our efforts to undo the harm of generations of disinvestment and economic inequities. As we work to recover and make San Francisco a better place to live, work, and do business, we have to invest our resources in a way that lifts up and supports African American small businesses owners, entrepreneurs, and the entire community."

The Dream Keeper Initiative phase of the NCBW SF Doris Ward Workforce Development Program invests $100,000 over a year in ten Black Women and women of color with funding from the City's Dream Keeper Initiative.  The participants will learn about customer service, leadership, professional attire, mastering emotional intelligence, financial literacy, effective communications, business ethics and more with the end goal to work in California's $79 billion hospitality industry.  Competitive stipends and paid on the job-shadowing opportunities will help the women bridge to a new job position to help stabilize their families.

The program courses will be taught by Black female professionals, Program Director, Public Relations Professional, and Filmmaker Jackie Wright, the creator of the program in 2012, based on her decade of experience in the American Red Cross that educated staff to train volunteers for various positions; Kelly Armstrong, Business Consultant and Creator of the original workforce development "Primed and Prepped Culinary Program," now conducted by the YMCA of San Francisco: Lisa Bishop, a Leadership Consultant, Executive Coach, Facilitator and Trainer; Karen Johnson, a Human Resources Training and Development Executive and Madelyn Mackie, a Certified Career Coach, Trainer and Motivational Speaker.  Guest hospitality industry professionals are invited to be a part of the training as well.

"There is a statistic shared in our national organization's  $isternomics course from Duke University's Samuel Dubois Cook Center:  'Single black women with a bachelor's degree ages 20-39 have a median net worth of -11,000 to $0 while the white woman has a net worth range of $3,400 – $7,500,' said Dr. Maxine Hickman, Immediate Past San Francisco President, National NCBW Inc. Board Member, who now serves as Chief Operating Officer for the program. "This shows the importance of the work that we are doing in advocating for Black Women.  We have to work diligently to overcome the inequities that have Black women have faced due to centuries of not being paid and decades of underpayment.  We can't thank Vice President Ridwana Bentley enough for her fund development leadership that has resulted in a stronger program, added Dr. Hickman."

The significance of the NCBW SF Doris Ward Workforce Development OEWD Dream Keeper Initiative program and its intended impact on wealth building for Black women in the Bay Area was underscored as the first class was held on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. birthdate.

The students heard from Dr. King in his on words as he spoke to Harry Belafonte a guest host on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" just weeks before he was murdered on April 4, 1968 during an economic campaign for the garbage workers of Memphis, Tennessee: https://youtu.be/fmauhsmcY2c. Dr. King's comments can be found in a free to view documentary on Peacock TV, "The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts The Tonight Show" that has MSNBC host Joy Reid as Executive Producer.

The NCBW SF Doris Ward Workforce Development Program has trained women to assist with Covered California; health programs of California Pacific; nonprofits such as I.T. Bookman Community Center and the San Francisco Black Film Festival where female and male youth were trained as Customer Service/Brand Ambassadors.

NCBW SF invites those interested in securing a better future for Black women in the Bay Area to invest in the chapter's efforts.  Individuals, corporations and businesses can pay it forward by giving back via this link: https://ncbwsf.org/donate/.  With each investment more individuals can be assisted with job placement and job advancement.

For more about the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Inc., San Francisco Chapter visit www.ncbwsf.org.